Kingdom Hearts: Awakening
by heroes1202
Summary: A new version of "Kingdom Hearts III". Sora, having completed a year's worth of training, returns to the battlefield alongside his friends to combat the threat of Master Xehanort and his new Organization. Traversing worlds across the way, Sora begins to awaken a new power within him, one that could best Xehanort. Planning worlds based on "Studio Ghibli" films and TWEWY.
1. Ch 1: Sora's Return

_Light and darkness, darkness and light...these two elements of life are what everything in the worlds are comprised of. There is always a balance between the two opposing forces. But as of late, darkness has begun to try and overtake the light. And against this advancing darkness, warriors known as Keyblade wielders have emerged to battle the evil and keep the balance in check. To this day, even now, only a handful of Keyblade wielders remain against the dark forces. But one has turned against his fellow brethren to seek everlasting power. His name...is Master Xehanort..._

_However, against the dark forces that Xehanort commands, there is one among the remaining Keybladers who has the power to help stop his sinister plans before they come true. This boy is Sora, a Keyblader heralding from Destiny Islands. As of late though, Sora has disappeared from sight to partake in a special training so he can better serve his friends against the advancing forces of Xehanort. The time for Sora to awaken...is now..._

**_Kingdom Hearts: Awakening_**

**_~ Chapter 1: Sora's Return ~_**

Our story begins within the Realm of Sleep, Traverse Town to be exact, as he is seen running through the First District. But rather than this being a battle, he was being playful as he enjoyed the last of his time with his Spirit Dream Eater friends. He was being chased by Meow Wow and Fruit Katz, both enjoying their time with him as well.

"Come on you guys! Bet you can't catch me!" Sora laughed. But little to his surprise, Meow Wow took a giant bounce and landed on top of him, causing Sora to fall to the ground. He glanced back at the Dream Eater as Fruit Katz rushed over and stopped in front of him, giving a meow.

"Heh. Looks like you guys are getting good." Sora said, pushing himself back up. His Dream Eaters bounced playfully around him as he looked on with a grin. The two had been his faithful companions throughout his additional training, which has been a year since he began.

"All right you guys. I don't know exactly when I'll be going back home. But...how about one more game?" Sora asked. His Dream Eaters cheered and playfully leaped into Sora's arms, rubbing heads against his.

"Aww. Come on you guys! I didn't think you liked me that much." Sora said. As he cradled the Dream Eaters in his arms, a lone figure stood on the roof of the building, glaring down at them from atop the Item Shop. As we gaze upon him, we discover it is Joshua, Sora and Riku's friend from another world.

"Actually, Sora, I think the time for you to be getting back home is now." Joshua called. Sora, hearing Joshua's vocie, looked up and gasped at the sight of him.

"Joshua! Is that you?" Sora called. Joshua grinned and leaped down, landing just in front of Sora and the Dream Eaters. With hands in his pocket, Joshua faced Sora.

"Indeed it is. I was asked by a "friend" of yours to give you this message. Its time to come home kiddo. Your pals need you in the real world." Joshua said. Sora gasped.

"Really? Wow. How much time has passed since I came here?" Sora asked. Joshua shook his head, teasing by saying he didn't bring his "watch". The two shared a happy laugh before the Dream Eaters looked at Sora sadly.

"Hey. Don't worry about it you guys. I can still come back if I have to. You'd know I wouldn't forget about you." Sora said, setting them down on the ground. Still seeing the sad expressions on them, Sora gave them each a firm pat on the head. Meow Wow and Fruit Katz both gave a purr before Joshua stepped in and tapped Sora's shoulder.

"So...are you ready to go back?" Joshua asked. Sora stood up and nodded. With a grin on his face, Joshua snapped his fingers, causing a blinding flash of light between him and Sora. The light continued to expand, growing greater in size until it completely swallowed Traverse Town.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

As the light fades, we find the sleeping Sora, wearing his outfit from his last adventure, laying on the ground in Traverse Town's first district. He was in the exact same spot as when he last saw Joshua and the Dream Eaters. Sora slowly began to open his eyes and gazed up, seeing the starry sky over the world. As he began to sit up, he glanced around, seeing no one for miles.

"Oh...I must be back in the real world. Otherwise, the Dream Eaters would be here." Sora said. He sighed and looked up again at the sky, stopped by the sight of a young girl's face looking over him.

"H-Huh? Kairi?" he asked. Indeed it was Kairi, Sora's friend from childhood and one of the Princesses of Heart. She smiled at the sight of Sora.

"Glad you're awake goof. I was getting worried about you." she said. Sora quickly hopped back onto his feet, looking to Kairi, who giggled.

"You were...worried about me? How long have I've been here?" Sora asked. Kairi crossed her arms behind her and tapped her foot.

"Hmm. Well, me, Donald and Goofy came here a little while ago. So, from our point of view, I'd say you've been asleep in that spot for ten minutes." Kairi said "Yen Sid told us to come get you when you'd arrive back from the Dream World." Sora nodded, looking around again after.

"Wait. So...Donald and Goofy are here too? Where are they?" Sora asked. Suddenly, Sora was pounced on from behind by a pair of figures, knocking him to the ground with a heavy thud. Kairi gasped and backed off, looking down to see Donald and Goofy on Sora's back with arms wrapped around him.

"SORA!" they cheered. Sora groaned as he forced the two off him and turned back, seeing their big happy faces. With a smile on his, he joined in a group hug.

"Donald! Goofy! Man! Am I glad to see you guys again!" Sora laughed. The three looked at each other's faces before sharing a group laugh, making Kairi chuckle herself.

"Gosh Sora! I thought you'd never come back! We really missed ya!" Goofy explained. Donald nodded.

"Yeah! Next time, how about telling us how long you're gonna be gone for?! We drove ourselves crazy waiting for you!" Donald squawked. Sora chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that guys. But don't worry. I'm back and I'm hanging around this time." Sora said. Donald firmly nodded as Goofy patted Sora on the back. Afterwards, the three stood back on their feet and turned to Kairi.

"So, I'm guessing Yen Sid is expecting us?" Sora asked. Kairi nodded.

"Yeah. Come on Sora. Let's get back there. The king is waiting as well." Kairi said. Sora looked at Donald and Goofy, questioning if it was true. The two both nodded.

"Okay then. But first, I wanna have a look around. Just to check something out." Sora nodded. The others agreed to accompany him and went strolling through Traverse Town together, passing from the First District into the second. As they traveled, they saw no signs of any other people within the city.

"That's weird. You think there would be at least one person besides us here." Sora asked. Kairi shook her head.

"Not with all the hard work we've been doing. Thanks to us, the worlds have really been calm for the time being. So that means there aren't that many people losing their homes because of Heartless." Kairi explained. Sora put his hand to his chin.

"That may be so. But, come on, there's gotta be SOMEONE else here besides us. I've just got a real funny feeling about all this." Sora explained. Suddenly, they all watched as black shadows suddenly arose from the ground in front of them. They gasped at the sight of a horde of Shadow Heartless.

"WAK! Heartless!" Donald screamed. Sora smirked and drew his Keyblade alongside Kairi.

"Heh. I was wondering when THESE things were gonna show up!" Sora called. The Heartless glared at him with their bright yellow eyes before one tried to pounce him. But with a firm swing, Sora shattered it.

"Kairi! You might wanna stay back." Sora said. Kairi chuckled.

"Not this time Sora! I'm a Keyblader too! So I'm fighting with you!" Kairi called. Sora glanced at Kairi, spotting her flower coated Keyblade in hand. He then looked to Donald and Goofy, weapons in hand also.

"All right then! Its Heartless crushing time!" Sora called. With that, the four burst into battle, swatting and stomping out the Heartless one after another. Goofy would sometimes leap up high and slam down on them with his shield as Donald casted Thunder. But even when the group seemed to have won, more Heartless would appear behind them, this time sporting a band of Soldier Heartless.

"More of them?!" Goofy gasped. Sora turned back to see a Shadow Heartless leaping at Kairi. But before it could scratch her, Sora slayed it with a single blow. However, a Soldier lunged at him and shoved Sora to the ground. Kairi gasped and spotted the Heartless, quickly slashing it.

"Sora!" she called. Donald squawked and unleashed a powerful Thundaga spell, frying all the Heartless in one bolt. With the Heartless gone, his friends grouped around Sora.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

Sora groaned, rubbing his head from his fall. Kairi offered Sora an arm up, helping him back to his feet.

"Sora, you okay?" Goofy asked. Sora quickly shook his head, glancing between his friends.

"Ugh. Don't worry guys. That just caught me off guard for a second. I'm fine though." Sora said. His friends each smiled, glad that Sora was not harmed.

"Wak! Where did all these Heartless come from?! They weren't here earlier!" Donald yelled. Goofy and Kairi shrugged.

"See? I told you something wasn't right. Come on. I bet somebody around here set those Heartless up as some kind of trap." Sora explained. Just then, they all looked out in the center of the district, spotting a man in an Organization XIII cloak.

"Wak! Look!" Donald squawked. Sora groaned at the sight of the black coat.

"Who are you?!" Sora yelled. But rather than stay to chat, the hooded figure suddenly made a break for it, running in the direction of the Third District.

"Hey! Get back here!" Sora yelled. Joined by his friends, Sora gave chase after the black coat, making sure not to lose sight of him.

**____****__****__****_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	2. Ch 2: Old Friends and Foes

**_Kingdom Hearts: Awakening_**

**_~ Chapter 2: Old Friends and Foes ~_**

Sora and friends were still hot on the trail of the man in the black coat, chasing him from the Second District towards the third. Sora remained with Keyblade in hand as they ran.

"Hey! Wait! Stop!" Sora yelled. As they approached the alley before the next district, the cloaked man stopped at the doorway and faced them. Sensing they had him cornered, Sora and the others stopped and prepared to fight.

"All right! Who are you? Did you set up those Heartless earlier?" Sora asked. The cloaked man remained quiet as they looked on at each other.

"Might as well talk. We have you cornered." Kairi called. The cloaked man said nothing but reached for the hood on his head. As it came down, Sora looked on in shock. The face he saw was that of a teenaged youth with long silver hair and gold eyes. He easily recognized him as the youthful Xehanort.

"Its YOU again. One of Xehanort's goons." Sora groaned. The young Xehanort stared coldly at Sora and his Keyblade. He also looked on at Kairi, Donald and Goofy.

"Sora? You know this guy?" Goofy asked.

"Is he REALLY working for Master Xehanort? We only caught a glimpse of him the last time." Donald asked. Sora nodded.

"Yeah. That's Xehanort as a kid. Riku told me all about him." Sora said. Kairi gasped.

"That's Xehanort when he was younger?" Kairi thought. The young Xehanort looked on at Sora and Kairi with his merciless gaze.

"Sora...as well as Princess Kairi. How well it is to see you after a year has passed." Teen Xehanort said. Sora and Kairi groaned, tightening the grip on their Keyblades.

"Did Xehanort send you? Well, forget it. I'm not gonna be Xehanort's thirteenth puppet!" Sora called "Not after last time!" Xehanort looked on without moving an inch.

"Didn't you hear him? Xehanort is not getting their hands on my friend! So leave him out of your crazy plan!" Kairi called. Xehanort still said nothing but began turning towards the Third District again.

"Come. I have a test for you two "Keyblade wielders". Follow me if you choose." Xehanort said. He opened the door and stepped through it, closing it behind him. The others looked at one another.

"You think we should go? This could be a trap." Goofy asked. Donald nodded.

"Yeah. C'mon Sora. Let's go to Master Yen Sid and tell him about this." Donald said. But Sora shook his head, saying he had a "score" to settle with him for what happened last time. Kairi looked quietly on at Sora's firm face.

"Well, if you're going, count me too. I'm not letting you brave this alone Sora." Kairi said. Donald and Goofy, looking on with worried expressions, glanced at the two before each other. But soon after, their faces firmed again and turned to Sora.

"If that's the case, we're going too!" Goofy called. Donald nodded, bringing a grin to Sora's face.

"Okay then...let's do this guys." Sora said. The four charged on ahead, heading straight towards the Third District. But from the rooftops nearby, Joshua was seen watching Sora and the others. He was joined by another figure, standing behind him with hands slipped into his pants pocket.

"I've got a job for you. Think you're willing to help out an "old friend"?" Joshua asked, turning towards his guest.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

Sora and his friends rushed ahead into the Third District and approached the lower courtyard. They braced themselves for battle as they glanced around, seeing no sign of the youthful Xehanort.

"So...where's our little friend? And what about that "test" he mentioned?" Sora asked. Donald and Goofy veered around as Kairi remained close to Sora's side. Just then, she spotted something above them and gasped.

"Sora! Above us!" Kairi called. They looked up with shock as a giant horde of purple armor came crashing down to the ground and floated back into the air. The armor quickly snapped together in place and formed a massive monster made out of those parts. It beared the Heartless emblem on its torso.

"Oh man. Total deja vu, huh guys?" Sora asked. Donald and Goofy nodded. The three recognized this monster as Guard Armor, the first massive Heartless they faced together. Guard Armor glared on at them before stomping slowly forward.

"Come on guys! Let's get him!" Sora called. The group charged into battle as Guard Armor started by spinning its arms around it in a vicious circle. Sora defended himself before jumping up high. He started with a powerful down swing, knocking one of the arms away. Donald and Goofy came up from behind and surprised the Heartless, knocking its other hand away.

"Ha! Take that!" Donald cried. But suddenly, the hand Sora knocked away came to life and soared towards Donald, taking the duck into its clutches. He gave a loud squawk.

"Donald!" Sora called. The other hand soon moved itself and came after Kairi. But Sora spotted this and attacked with a sideways swing. Though the hand was stopped, it soon targeted Sora again.

"Come on! You want some?" Sora yelled. He swung at the arm, but it flew over and made a fist. It then came from behind and punched Sora down.

"Sora!" Kairi cried. As Sora quickly got back up, the fist came again and socked him again. It continued over and over, looping past Sora to sock him when he got up.

"Wak!" Donald squawked, thrown around by the other hand. Goofy was having trouble against the Guard Armor's legs, being kicked away each time he rushed to help. The head then snapped off and came after Kairi, its steel mouth opening and closing, preparing to bite.

"Dagh!" Sora yelled, struck down again. Kairi gasped and used her Keyblade to pry Guard Armor's mouth open, keeping it trapped.

"Sora! A little help here!" Kairi called. Sora quickly got back up and rused to Kairi's side, only to be struck again by Guard Armor's flying fist. From a nearby rooftop, the youthful Xehanort watched the carnage battle continuing on. And with a snap of his fingers, a group of Soldier Heartless appeared by his side.

"Go." he muttered. The Heartless leaped into the fray, jumping from the roof and piling on top of Sora after he got back up again. The fall knocked the Keyblade from his hand.

"Dah! Sora!" Goofy yelled, seeing the Keyblade slide away. Sora growled and tried to fight off the Heartless, but they piled on him and seemed intent on keeping him pinned.

"Get off me you...filthy Heartless!" Sora groaned. The Heartless continued pressuring down on Sora, keeping him from getting up. But just as it seemed like everyone was kept from fighting back, a bolt of fire came shooting from across the field, burning the Heartless swarming over Sora. He quickly hopped back to his feet and recalled his Keyblade, looking back to see his savior. It was a boy with spiky orange hair, wearing a sleeveless shirt and long gray shorts. A pair of headphones hung around his neck.

"Sora...hey there. Guess you needed help after all. I figured as much." he said. Sora gasped and laughed.

"Neku!" he exclaimed. Xehanort glared at Neku, seeing a big smirk on his face as he leaped to Sora's side. The two turned towards the Guard Armor's head and unleashed a simultaneous attack, Sora attacking with a barrage of swings as Neku fired bolts of lightning from his palm. The attacks drove Guard Armor's head away from Kairi.

"I don't think so!" Neku called. With a stomp of his foot, a magical circle engulfed Sora, Neku and Guard Armor, drawing the parts together. Inside the pulsing circle, the parts remained floating in midair as Sora warped around and slashed at them, joined by Neku creating pulsing blasts from his palms.

"Heh! Stay with the beat now!" Neku laughed as the two barraged Guard Armor. Suddenly, Neku swung his arm upward and a giant blast of orbs rocketed Guard Armor straight upward to where Sora awaited, striking down with a heavy slam from his Keyblade. The impact caused a giant smoke cloud throughout the area, covering Xehanort's sight of the battle. As it cleared, Guard Armor's body laid motionless on the ground, scattered around in heaps.

"Hmph. That's how we do things in Shibuya." Neku muttered. The others sighed with relief as Sora and Neku turned to each other, giving a smirk and high fiving each other.

"Sora? Who is this guy?" Donald asked. Sora chuckled, patting Neku's shoulder.

"Guys? I want you to meet a friend I made the last time I was here. His name is Neku." Sora said, introducing Neku. Neku glanced at Sora before turning back to the others.

"Its actually Neku Sakuraba. And, as for meeting this "doofus" the last time we were here...yeah. That much is true." Neku said, pointing to Sora. But Sora smirked.

"Come on Neku. You know you and me got along really great." he said. Xehanort continued looking on as Sora was introducing his friends to Neku before vanishing in a corridor of darkness.

"So, you actually got better...Sora." he muttered before vanishing.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

The group gathered back together in the First District as Sora and Neku continued talking between the other.

"So Neku, how are Rhyme and Shiki? They doing okay?" Sora asked. Neku smirked.

"Yeah. Rhyme and her brother got back together and...Shiki and I? Well...heh...whatever." he said, blushing a bit at the end. Goofy happened to spot Neku's blushing.

"Gawrsh Neku. Why's your face all red?" Goofy asked, chuckling a bit afterwards. Donald gazed at Neku with a sly grin on his face.

"Aww! I bet she's the one you really like, isn't she?" Donald asked. Neku groaned and turned away with his palm covering his face, making Donald and Goofy chuckle.

"That's sweet Neku. You have a friend you care for." Kairi said. Neku groaned and shook his head as Kairi approached Sora's side and put her hand next to his.

"So...Sora? Did you ever tell Neku about...us?" she asked. Sora started to stutter and blush, catching Neku's attention. Donald and Goofy suddenly turned their teasing faces back to Sora.

"Oh right! I almost forgot!" Donald snickered. Sora groaned and pulled down Donald's cap.

"K-Keep your big bill out of this Donald!" Sora stuttered. Neku smirked, looking on as Sora and Donald got into a little feud between each other.

"I see where he gets his goofy side from." Neku thought. He then began to walk away but was quickly noticed by Sora.

"Huh? Neku? Where are you going?" Sora asked. Neku stopped and glanced back at him.

"I was...going to meet someone. I only swung by to help." Neku explained. But as he continued on, Sora rushed over and stopped him.

"Hold on. If you've got nothing going on, why not hang with us for just a bit longer?" Sora asked. Neku groaned.

"Didn't you hear me? I said I was..." Neku said before he was stopped by Sora.

"Oh! Come on Neku! We hardly see each other in a year's time and you suddenly decide to split?! Not gonna happen! Not this time." Sora said. Neku groaned as Sora took hold of his hand and led him back towards the others.

"Is he ALWAYS this way?" Neku groaned.

**__****____****__****__****_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	3. Ch 3: Re-Taking the Test

**_Kingdom Hearts: Awakening_**

**_~ Chapter 3: Re-Taking the Test ~_**

After agreeing to come along, Sora and Neku left Traverse Town behind and were greeted outside by the Gummi Ship, allowing the group to part ways with the world. As the Gummi Ship left the planet's atmosphere, Sora glanced down at the world.

"See ya later Traverse Town." Sora said. But even though he was happy to be with his friends, a small tear seemed to come from his eye. Donald and Goofy took notice quickly.

"Sora? Everything okay?" Donald asked. Sora turned to his friend before wiping the tear from his cheek.

"Yeah. I'm fine." he said. Donald and Goofy looked on as Sora looked back out at the world.

"Some good memories of mine came back to me...all the time I spent with the Dream Eaters." Sora said, having flashbacks of his time with Meow Wow and Fruit Katz. Donald patted Sora's back.

"Don't worry Sora. You know you'll get to see them again someday. Besides, I'd know they'd want ya to do the best you can. Shucks, ain't that the reason you trained with them for all this time?" Goofy asked. Sora quietly looked on before giving a light nod.

"Yeah. You're right Goofy." Sora said. Nearby, Neku sat quietly with arms crossed as he eyed Sora with Donald and Goofy.

"Shiki...Rhyme...Beat...I hope you guys are doing all right." Neku muttered.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

Throughout the quiet realm between worlds, the Gummi Ship went on its way until it finally came to land outside of Yen Sid's magical tower. The tower was a place Sora came across during his second traverse between worlds, a tower that sat alone in the space between.

**_~ Mysterious Tower ~_**

_~ The Mysterious Tower In-Between ~_

After landing, Sora and friends traversed the stairs of the tower before arriving within Yen Sid's study. Sora looked across the room, finding Yen Sid looking out the windows of his chamber.

"M-Master Yen Sid?" Sora asked. Yen Sid slowly turned back and spotted Sora and friends.

"Good. You are back. I have been waiting for you four." he said. Soon after, he spotted Neku Sakuraba amongst the group.

"And who is this?" Yen Sid asked. Goofy chuckled, patting Neku's shoulder.

"This here is Neku. He and Sora became the best of pals after they met in Traverse Town." Goofy explained. After swiping Goofy's hand off him, Neku looked on at Yen Sid.

"Ah yes. No doubt during the times of which Sora traversed the worlds of sleep." Yen Sid thought. Neku turned away with his hands in his pockets as the others turned towards Yen Sid.

"Master Yen Sid, we found Sora just where you said he'd be and came back. What was it you wanted us all here for?" Kairi asked. Sora glanced around the room again.

"And where are King Mickey and Riku? Kairi told me they were here waiting for me." Sora asked. Yen Sid quietly strolled across the room before seating himself at his desk.

"Unfortunately, Riku and the king are busy at the moment, making surveys on our foes from the darkness. But fear not. They shall return within the hour." Yen Sid said "In the meantime, Sora, I assume you know why you are here." Sora nodded.

"Yeah. I totally botched my Mark of Mastery test. I'm sorry for that." Sora said. Yen Sid raised his hand.

"Do not blaim yourself. None of us would have guessed that Master Xehanort would have weaved his dark fingers throughout your quest. But now, after a year's worth of training, you must take the test again. We need your strength if we are to face the resurrected Organization XIII." Yen Sid explained. Sora looked to his friends, each giving a nod.

"That's why I'm here...to fight alongside my friends. No way am I gonna be left out...not from this fight." Sora said. Hearing those words, Yen Sid lightly nodded.

"Very well. I look forward to seeing your growth. Now then..." he said. He turned towards a corner of the room and waved his arm, casting a magical circle that projected a hologram from below. The hologram was that of a black furred rabbit with a solid white face. On his back appeared to be a Keyblade.

"This is Oswald, a Keyblader I had trained before the king found his way to me. He was a promising pupil with a good heart and cheerful outlook. I have recently begun scouting him out to aide in our efforts against Xehanort. However, I have been unable to contact him." Yen Sid explained. Sora and the others looked on at Oswald's cheery smile.

"Do you have any idea as to where Oswald is sir?" Kairi asked. Yen Sid waved his hand again, causing Oswald's projection to vanish. He then snapped his fingers, causing a large book to appear in front of him. The pages came to life as the book opened, slowly stopping around the center. The pages showed a bleak world, a large mountainside floating on the abyss of darkness.

"The last I have heard from him, Oswald is currently a prisoner on a remote world that is on the brink of falling into darkness. If he is not rescued soon, he will perish along with the world as its heart was devoured by Heartless." Yen Sid explained. He then looked at Sora and Kairi.

"Sora...Kairi...for your Mark of Mastery test, the two of you must journey out to this world, find Oswald and return here before the world perishes." Yen Sid said "Should you two return, you both shall be worthy of the title of "Keyblade Master"." Sora and Kairi nodded.

"Yes sir." they said. Neku, leaning against the wall nearby, glanced on at Sora and Kairi.

"Man. Talk about a test of tests." Neku thought. Sora and Kairi looked to each other with a firm gaze in their eyes.

"You ready for this Sora? It'll be just the two of us." Kairi asked. Sora smirked.

"You kidding? I'm always ready. In fact, I'm looking forward to seeing how much you've grown Kairi." Sora said. Hearing those words, Kairi lightly grinned.

"Really? Heh. Well, I promise not to let you down." she said. The two looked to Yen Sid again as Donald and Goofy backed away. Casting a spell onto the book's pages, Yen Sid watched as the book glowed brightly and Sora and Kairi vanished from the room. With the two gone, Neku took this chance to slip out of the room and into the hallway. Once in the hall, Neku saw Joshua waiting for him.

"So...what happened to us meeting in Traverse Town? Did Sora drag you away before I could?" Joshua teased. Neku sighed.

"Cut it out Joshua. You know he's not a bad guy." he said. The two then began walking away together, side by side.

"I know. But, for now, we really should be getting back. There are strange things going down in Shibuya." Joshua said.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

Soon after being warped out of the room, Sora and Kairi found themselves transported onto the mountainside displayed in Yen Sid's book. They looked around the area, seeing nothing but hazy black and gold skies above them. The world itself seemed to be crumbling to pieces and appeared to be made of nothing but garbage and rotting items, each displaying the king's face.

**_~ Mickeyjunk Mountain ~_**

_~ A World On The Brink ~_

Sora and Kairi viewed around the area, finding themselves on the lower levels of the mountain.

"Wow. Just where are we? This world seems close to dying." Kairi asked. Just then, she stepped on the edge of the pathway, stopping when bits of debris crumbled off and fell downward. The two looked and saw pitch black darkness below.

"You might wanna be careful Kairi. One wrong step and we could be falling for a LONG time." Sora said. Kairi nodded and slowly stepped back as Sora looked towards the top of the mountain.

"Well, let's get climbing Kairi. We've got to find Oswald and, from the looks of it, we don't have much time to waste." Sora said. Kairi agreed, viewing the mountainside with him.

"Okay. Let's go." she said. After drawing forth their Keyblades, Sora and Kairi continued along the pathway and ventured on up the trail towards the mountain top. Along the way, Sora viewed the decaying garbage of King Mickey's likeness.

"Geesh. Did the king have some kind of massive ego issue?" Sora thought "All I keep seeing is his face." Just then, the two heard a bellowing roar coming from around them. The vibration partially shook the ground.

"Uhhh...Sora? What was that?" Kairi asked. Just then, they looked down in time to see a monstrous black creature race up from the bottomless darkness. The same loud roar was heard as it raced by, throwing Kairi against Sora. They watched it heading towards the top of the mountain.

"Yikes! Was that...a HEARTLESS?!" Sora yelled. Just then, they saw the black monstrosity chasing after something on an upper level of the mountain. With a swipe of its mighty claw, something was sent flying off the edge and began falling down towards Sora and Kairi.

"WAH! Somebody help me!" a voice cried. Sora saw the falling figure and quickly rushed to the edge, grabbing him by the arm before he fell into the darkness. He then quickly pulled him to safety.

"It's okay! We gotcha!" Sora called. Kairi and Sora glanced at their rescued friend, seeing him to be Oswald himself. He wore a light blue jacket with large blue shorts. A star covered Keyblade rested on his back.

"Hey. Aren't you...Master Oswald?" Sora asked. Oswald looked between the two of them.

"Uhhh...yes? Thanks again for saving me, by the way. So...who are you?" Oswald asked. Sora and Kairi showed him their Keyblades.

"We're Keyblade wielders. My name is Sora and this is Kairi. Master Yen Sid sent us to find you." Sora explained. Hearing that, Oswald gasped.

"Whoo! About time! I've been dealing with one HUGE problem!" Oswald cried.

"W-What is it?" Kairi asked. But as Kairi asked, they heard the loud roar of the black beast and looked up, seeing it racing down towards them. As it zoomed past, the monster rose back up and faced Sora, Kairi and Oswald. Upon closer inspection, the beast appeared to be made of dripping black ooze with bright green eyes. It gave a bellowing roar, spitting bits of black ooze.

"THAT!" Oswald cried. As Oswald ducked behind them, Sora and Kairi readied their blades and faced the massive monster.

**__****____****__****__****_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	4. Ch 4: Race Through MickeyJunk

**_Kingdom Hearts: Awakening_**

**_~ Chapter 4: Race Through Mickeyjunk ~_**

Sora, Kairi and Oswald stood together with their backs against the wall of the mountainside, face to face with a monstrous beast made of dripping black ooze. The monster quietly growled as it stared with merciless green eyes.

"Oswald, what is this thing?" Kairi asked. Oswald groaned.

"It's the Phantom Blot...a really NASTY monster made of living darkness." he muttered. Sora gripped his Keyblade tightly as the Blot glared.

"L-Look out!" Oswald yelled. The Blot suddenly rose one of its claws and came at Sora with a sideways swipe. But he shielded with his Keyblade before trying to attack. His attack could not reach the Blot, floating effortlessly off the canyon side.

"Hey! Come down here and fight me like a man you ugly slobbering monster!" Sora yelled. The Blot glared at Sora as Oswald shook his head.

"Oh, you got his attention all right." he groaned. The Blot roared and swung a fist towards Sora, rolling out of the way before making a direct blow to the Blot's wrist. Kairi tried to attack as well, missing as the beast drew its arm back.

"Don't worry Kairi. You'll get a swing in." Sora said. The Blot glared at them before letting out another roar, swinging a fury of punches towards the canyon wall. The impact caused several rotting debris to fall from up above. The trio quickly ducked and dodged the falling debris, careful that one hit would send them over the edge. But as she continued dodging, Kairi took a wrong step and her foot skid off the edge. She found herself falling over the edge.

"Sora!" Kairi exclaimed. Sora saw this and gasped, quickly diving in time to catch her by her wrist. He held onto her as tightly as he could as the Blot glared at Oswald.

"Uhhh...s-stay back! I'm warning you!" Oswald yelled. But as Sora pulled Kairi up, the Blot fired its arm and grabbed Oswald in its greasy clutches. Sora gasped.

"No! Oswald!" he exclaimed. After Kairi was safely back on the ledge, he tried to intervene. But the Blot pulled Oswald away and, with one final roar, flew back up towards the top of the mountain.

"Hey! Get back here! I'm not finished with you!" Sora exclaimed "Bring back Oswald!" Afterwards, seeing the Blot was not returning, he groaned and kicked the dust at his feet. Kairi slowly approached from behind and put her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry Sora. We'll get Oswald back. Nothing is going to stop us." Kairi said. Sora looked back to her and nodded, commenting that she was right. But just then, a dark corridor appeared behind the two, from which stepped Maleficent and Pete.

"Do not be so sure princess. You aren't the ONLY ones on this withering crag." she said. Sora and Kairi turned around and gasped, quickly drawing their Keyblades.

"Maleficent!" they exclaimed. As the four glared at one another, Pete stepped forth with a huff.

"Ha! Where's the duck and dat goof? Nobody here to help ya this time shrimp!" Pete laughed. Sora huffed.

"I may not have Donald and Goofy, but I know I can handle you EASILY Pete!" Sora called. Maleficent looked on with an angry glare, ordering Pete to silence. Afterwards, she looked back to Sora and Kairi.

"Well, well...Sora and the princess...alone together. I have never seen anything so "touching"..." Maleficent teased. Sora and Kairi groaned.

"Get to the point Maleficent! Are you responsible for that monster that took our friend?" Kairi asked. Maleficent grew a grin across her face.

"Yes and no. Though the monster now obeys me, that simple brained beast was originally here when we came to this desolate rock. Now it obeys everything I order it to do. So, if you wish to get your precious Oswald back...you'll do business with me." Maleficent explained. Sora's eyes narrowed with anger, pointing his Keyblade towards them, partially surprising Pete.

"That will NEVER happen! Save yourself the embarrassment and give Oswald back!" Sora called. Maleficent snickered before going into a full laugh.

"I see. You must not care for Oswald if you are not willing to hear my demands. Hmph. Very well. I'll give you time to think. Meet us at the mountain's peak. THERE is where we will negotiate for the rabbit's life!" Maleficent called before fading away with Pete into darkness, giving a malevolent laugh that echoed across the canyon.

"I'm REALLY starting to hate that old hag." Sora groaned. The two then turned to one another, looking up the mountain walls afterward.

"Come on. We've got a ugly hag to find." Sora said.

**_~ KH: AWAKENING ~_**

With their goal of saving Oswald set in their minds, Sora and Kairi continued to climb up the treacherous canyon walls of the mountain, aiming to reach the top.

"Sora? What do you think we should do when we get there? Its not as simple as us just ganging up on Maleficent. Ever since we found out she's behind that monster, I'm worried about Oswald." Kairi said. Sora stopped and turned back to Kairi.

"Its okay Kairi. Maleficent may seem cold and cruel, but she wouldn't do anything to Oswald before talking to us. We'll come up with something once we reach the top." Sora said. Kairi nodded, looking away after.

"Yeah. Okay. But...Sora? We'd better hurry. Don't forget that this world is on the point of falling to darkness." Kairi said. Sora nodded.

"I know Kairi. I know." he said. The two then turned back and continued up the walkway. But along the way, they were stopped by a gaggle of Heartless appearing before them. They appeared to be Shadow and Air Soldier.

"What's this? You trying to slow us down Maleficent? Fat chance!" Sora called, bringing forth his Keyblade. The Heartless came on the attack, but they were easily struck down by Sora and Kairi as a team. They continued to come after the two Keybladers, but were defeated and their hearts set free.

"Let's keep moving Kairi." Sora said. With the Heartless dispatched, they continued their way up the mountain. Occasionally, they continued to face more and more Heartless, but they faced little threat as their combined teamwork was enough to best them.

_~ Later... ~_

After much climbing and traversing the paths of the mountainside, they finally were about to reach the peak. But just before they approached the top, Sora and Kairi stopped lower down to plan.

"Okay Kairi. No doubt Maleficent and Pete are up ahead. They still have Oswald, so we'll have to be careful and play our cards right. We can't risk anything happening to him." Sora whispered. Kairi nodded.

"All right. But...what's the plan?" she asked. Sora paused for a moment, thinking carefully before turning to her with his hand behind his head.

"Uhhh...I really don't know. I'd be more sure if I had Donald and Goofy with me. I know we'd be able to come up with something." Sora said. Kairi sighed, asking if she still was a burden.

"What? No. Of course not. Its just...I've fought with Donald and Goofy longer. I'm not used to fighting alongside you yet Kairi. To be honest, I've been worried this whole time about you." Sora said. Kairi groaned and looked on at Sora.

"Come on Sora. We made it this far together. Saying that now is just foolish. We have to save Oswald." Kairi said "Besides, you don't have to worry about me. I'm not the same girl as before." Sora looked at the firm gaze in Kairi's eyes, having a flashback to when they were younger on Destiny Islands.

"Wow. Kairi sure has come a long way since all of this started. I can't help but be proud." Sora thought. He then nodded.

"All right. Well, I have no plan for now. But let's just wing it. I have a feeling "luck" is in our favor." Sora said. Kairi nodded, glad to see Sora agreeing with her. The two then continued on towards the peak. Once there, they found themselves face to face with Pete and Maleficent. The giant Blot soared overhead, giving a loud roar before floating behind Maleficent and Pete.

"Well, well, look who FINALLY made it! I thought I was gonna grow a beard waiting for you twerps!" Pete called. Sora and Kairi drew their Keyblades and pointed towards Maleficent.

"All right Maleficent. Where's Oswald?" Sora asked. Maleficent smirked.

"Do not worry. He is safe and sound." Maleficent said, stepping aside to see a comatose Oswald surrounded by Soldier Heartless. Kairi lightly gasped, fearing the Heartless stole his heart.

"Now...for our demands, we want you to tell your king that if he wants his dear "brother" back, he will bring me the data of the worlds." Maleficent explained. Sora and Kairi looked on with confused glares.

"What? Don't you kids know that your king and this rabbit are half brothers? They trained together with master Yen Sid back in the day." Pete added. Sora shook his head and faced Maleficent again.

"Stand down boy. Drop your weapons and agree to become consumed by the Heartless. Only then will we let your precious "friend" free." Maleficent said, glancing back at Oswald. Kairi lightly gasped and looked to Sora.

"Not a chance Maleficent. We came here to save Oswald. And that's what we're gonna do. I don't care if you try and stop us. Nothing you've ever schemed before has succeeded and now is NOT gonna be any different!" Sora called. Maleficent huffed.

"Very well. Pete? I will leave this to you. Make sure you dispose of these fools. And you'd better not FAIL me." Maleficent said "I have...other matters to attend to." She opened up a corridor of darkness and stepped through it, vanishing without a trace. Sora and Kairi looked at one another as Sora winked.

"See? I had a feeling luck was on our side." Sora whispered. Pete looked on with a cocky grin.

"Heh! You ain't gonna be so lucky THIS time twerp! You've got ME and HIM to contend with! Oh Blotty!" Pete called, giving a loud whistle. The Blot heard Pete's whistle and flew down in front of him, glaring at Sora and Kairi before giving a loud roar.

"Oswald! Don't worry! We'll save you!" Sora called. But Pete laughed.

"Don't even bother kid! Maleficent's had the rabbit under a sleeping curse since we took him from ya! He's not gonna wake up anytime soon! And when he does, y'all be dead!" Pete laughed. But suddenly, Pete heard noise coming from behind. He turned around quickly to see the Heartless surrounding Oswald slashed down by the rabbit himself, having been awake this whole time.

"Wh-What the?! B-B-But you...! How did...?! Y-You're supposed to be out cold!" Pete exclaimed. Oswald smirked and strutted his Keyblade over his shoulder.

"What? Haven't you heard of playing possum? I used a little magic of my own to weaken Maleficent's magic. So...I was awake a LONG time ago." Oswald said. As he hurried back to Sora and Kairi, Pete growled and yelled, stomping around in frustration.

"That's it! Blot! ATTACK!" Pete exclaimed. The Blot snarled and suddenly dropped down to the ground, forming a giant black puddle. The beast then rose up from the ooze and glared at Sora and friends, giving a loud malicious roar.

**__****____****__****__****_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	5. Ch 5: Pass or Fail

_**Kingdom Hearts: Awakening**_

_**~ Chapter 5: Pass or Fail ~**_

Sora, Kairi and Oswald stood with Keyblades ready as the giant Blot reared its massive claws back. With a mighty roar, they came charging straight at them. But they jumped aside and avoided the claws. Sora then came on the charge and attacked the hands. The Blot did not budge but eyed Sora angrily.

"Come on! Let's get him!" Oswald called. He and Kairi came charging next as the Blot raised up from them and grasped both hands together. Oswald gasped.

"On second thought...R-RETREAT!" Oswald yelled, running back as the Blot slammed both hands down. The impact shook Sora and Kairi, knocking them to their feet. Suddenly, Sora watched as the Blot began firing black blobs from its mouth.

"Kairi! Look out!" Sora yelled, dashing in front of her as the blobs crash landed around them. Kairi looked and gasped, seeing Shadow Heartless rising from the splattered darkness.

"Sora! Heartless!" Kairi called. Sora turned and gasped, quickly jumping back to his feet. The Heartless came on the assault, but Sora struck them down each with one swing. But as Sora was fighting, Oswald caught sight of the Blot attempting to grab Kairi.

"Look out missy!" Oswald called. He ran in the way and slashed at the Blot's hand, making the beast rear back in agony. Oswald grinned from cheek to cheek.

"All right then! Sora!" Oswald yelled. Sora glanced to Oswald and the two both nodded. He rushed to Oswald as the rabbit leaped into the air and onto Sora's back. The Blot came on the attack again, but Oswald raised his Keyblade into the air, creating giant orbs of various bright colors.

"How about we add a little COLOR to that ugly face of yours?!" Oswald called. With a swing of his blade, the balls went flying around the area, bouncing around against the Blot and crushing the Shadow Heartless.

"H-Hey! No fair using team ups on the big guy!" Pete yelled, watching from the sidelines. The Blot growled with each blow until they rose up into the air and exploded into multi colored drops of rain.

"And now...the finale!" Oswald laughed. The rain came showering down, drenching damage down onto the Blot. But as the rain ceased, the Blot angrily roared and suddenly rushed its claw down onto Kairi. Sora and Oswald turned and gasped.

"KAIRI!" Sora yelled. They watched as the Blot pulled Kairi into its clutches and rose the princess towards its sinister face. She remained motionless with fear as the Blot's green eyes pierced into her.

"Kairi! No!" Sora yelled. Oswald gasped, looking over at a laughing Pete.

"Whaddya know?! Ha! Maybe we'll get you twerps to do as we say now that we got yer precious PRINCESS as our hostage NOW!" Pete laughed. Sora groaned.

"Pete! Tell that monster to let Kairi go NOW!" Sora yelled. But Pete only laughed more.

_**~ KH: AWAKENING ~**_

The Blot began to tighten its grip on Kairi, pressuring her to the point that her Keyblade vanished. Sora growled.

"Kairi! Hold on! I'll save you!" Sora yelled. Pete laughed.

"Yeah right! Hey. I got a better idea. We'll offer a trade. The girl...for your HEART!" Pete laughed. Sora glared at Pete, groaning in disgust.

"How's about that kid? You'll get your girl back. But, you'll become a Heartless and serve me...the MIGHTY Pete!" he laughed. Sora looked up at the Blot, devilishly holding Kairi in the palm of its claw.

"Sora...no. Don't do it." Oswald thought. Sora watched as Kairi was squeezed tighter and tighter. With a heavy sigh, he threw his Keyblade away, shocking Oswald and Kairi.

"S-Sora...no..." Kairi groaned. Pete laughed.

"That's the ticket! Welcome to the dark side kiddo!" Pete exclaimed. The Blot suddenly released Kairi and swung its claw at Sora, catching him in one fell swoop. Oswald was able to catch Kairi, but she looked on with terror at Sora in the Blot's clutches.

"No! Sora!" she exclaimed.

"All right Blot! Put the squeeze on that brat! Its time to make us a Heartless! Oh! Maleficent is gonna be so PROUD!" Pete laughed. The Blot laughed and clutched Sora with both hands, pressuring him tighter and tighter by the second.

"Oh man! Hang on Sora!" Oswald yelled. He used magic to launch a fireball at the Blot, but the beast weaved away.

"Sora! No! STOP THIS! LET HIM GO!" Kairi exclaimed. The Blot laughed as its dark, oozy body began to envelope Sora in its claws. Kairi's eyes began flooding with tears.

"NO! SORA!" she exclaimed. Summoning back her Keyblade, she came charging at the Blot's body and swung it viciously. But no matter how much of the Blot she hacked away at, it made no difference up above.

"K-Kairi! N-No! I won't...I'm not gonna become a Heartless again!" Sora thought, looking down at Kairi. He started to fuss around, attempting to break free of the Blot. But he could not squirm free as he felt himself being crushed.

"GAH!" Sora yelled. As the darkness of the Blot's claws began engulfing him, beams of light shot through the cracks in the beast's fingers. Pete watched and gasped.

"Wh-What's going on?!" Pete yelled in fear. Kairi and Oswald stopped and gasped, watching as blinding light came from within the claws. There was a sudden outward burst of light and it blew the Blot away. Sora was engulfed in a large bubble of light that slowly dropped him to the ground. He then opened his eyes, both glowing brightly.

"S-Sora?" Kairi asked. The Blot rose back up and snarled, glaring right at Sora. With another roar, it came charging for him. But Sora drew his Keyblade and pointed it at the Blot. Just as it drew near, the Keyblade fired a beam of light straight at the beast's chest. It pierced through the darkness and jabbed itself into what seemed to be the creature's heart. The darkness surrounding it vanished in a flash as the light overtook it. Pete watched as light seeped from the Blot's chest.

"H-Hey now! Now what's happening?! Oh man! This ain't good!" Pete gulped. The Blot roared in agony, gripping its chest as the light was overwhelming it. But suddenly, the light shattered and the Blot gasped for air as Sora's eyes faded back to normal.

"Uhhh...huh? Who? What?" Sora asked, looking around. Suddenly, he found himself back in the Blot's clutches and raised to his eye level. Pete gasped before laughing out loud again.

"All right! That a boy! Ya got him now! Ya got...h-him...now?" Pete slowly cried before seeing what appeared to be the Blot cradling Sora in its hands. Kairi and Oswald watched in confusion along with Pete.

"Uhhh...what's going on?" Kairi asked. After a chortle from the Blot, it placed Sora down on the ground.

"Sora? What just happened?" Oswald asked. Sora looked at the two and shrugged.

"I don't know. I don't even remember what the heck happened. All I remember is being swallowed up by darkness and then...bam. All I see is light for a short while." Sora said. Pete groaned and stepped forward.

"Hey ya big slime ball! You're supposed to obey ME! Remember?! Now attack!" Pete yelled. The Blot turned towards Pete and growled, glaring on with rage in its eyes. Pete gulped and slowly backed away. He looked to Sora and the others.

"Duhhh...this AIN'T over kid! We'll get you yet!" Pete yelled. He then ran away, fleeing for his life.

_**~ KH: AWAKENING ~**_

With Pete gone, Sora and friends looked on at the Blot. It gave a happy moan as it pointed a finger at Sora, poking him in the nose. Kairi lightly chuckled.

"What do you know Sora? It looks like you made a friend." Kairi said. Sora lightly chuckled as Oswald still remained confused. The Blot then took to the skies and flew away, leaving Sora and friends to wave goodbye. Just then, Sora noticed a strange white charm left on the ground. He walked over and picked it up. It appeared to be a charm left by the Blot, shaped like it.

"Well, I have NO idea what happened. But we have Oswald safe and sound. Let's head back to Master Yen Sid, okay Kairi?" Sora asked. Kairi nodded, saying she couldn't wait to get out of this creepy place. Suddenly, a sphere of light engulfed around their feet and found themselves teleported away from the strange world.

_~ Later... ~_

After a short time of travel, Sora, Kairi and Oswald found themselves back in Yen Sid's tower. They looked around to see Yen Sid with King Mickey, Donald and Goofy, Riku and Lea.

"Hey. You guys finally came back. Heh. Its about time. We've been waiting for you." Lea teased. Sora spotted Riku, who gave a light grin.

"Sora...Kairi...you have done well." Yen Sid said. The three turned towards Yen Sid.

"Master Yen Sid! Boy! Am I glad to see you!" Oswald laughed.

"I am happy to say that the two of you have passed your Mark of Mastery tests. Not only did you find and recover Master Oswald from the world on the brink of darkness, but Sora...I must say that you surprised me the most. You converted a purely evil heart to one that is pure of light. That alone should be a great accomplishment." Yen Sid explained. His friends gathered around as Sora scratched his head.

"But...master Yen Sid...I don't even know what happened. It just...happened." Sora said. Yen Sid looked on curiously, stroking his beard.

"Well, it still was a great feat Sora. One that could prove beneficial against Master Xehanort and his new Organization. So...whether or not you grasp the concept yet, hold your head high Sora...for you and Kairi have passed. And I hereby declare that you have become Keyblade Masters, you and Kairi." Yen Sid said. Sora and Kairi chuckled as they received pats and hugs from their friends.

"Way to go Sora." Riku said.

"Oh boy! Congratulations you two!" Mickey laughed. Goofy and Donald laughed and hugged Sora tightly, glad to have him safely back. And amongst all the joy, Oswald and Mickey looked to one another and grinned, giving each other a hug.

_~ Meanwhile... ~_

We come to a darkened room where the only visible light was that of a large orb glowing in the center of the room. We see Maleficent in the far corner of the room with several others around her.

"So...that fool Pete wound up BLOWING it again! Ha ha! Who would've guessed?!" a deep voice laughed. A sinister voice chuckled, seen shuffling a deck of cards in his hands.

"Y'all shouldn't blaim ol' Petey so fast. None of us could've expected THIS coming from the boy with the Keyblade." he said. In the far corners of the room, a slender woman cackled.

"This IS interesting. So...what should be our next move Maleficent?" she asked. Maleficent looked on with a smirk.

"Patience my friends. Our time will come...very soon." she said "But...as for that bumbling fool Pete, well, I already have HIS punishment lined up." She looked behind her at a large pair of red eyes, glaring in the darkness.

**____****__****__****_TO BE CONTINUED..._**


	6. Ch 6: Old Friends in Radiant Garden

_**Kingdom Hearts: Awakening**_

_**~ Chapter 6: Old Friends in Radiant Garden ~**_

Sora and Kairi gathered together with Riku outside Yen Sid's tower as they looked on at one another, each now a Keyblade master. Donald and Goofy looked on nearby with Oswald.

"So...the three of us are now Keyblade masters." Riku muttered. Sora nodded, sticking out his arm.

"And together, we're going to stop Xehanort's plans and keep the worlds safe." Sora added. Riku smirked and placed his hand atop Sora's. The boys then looked to Kairi, who raised her hand.

"Together, we're a team. And we're going to fight as a team." Kairi said, extending her hand out. Donald and Goofy grinned as Oswald crossed his arms behind his head.

"Wow. Looking at those three, it really takes me back...to when I met them..." Oswald said, visioning Terra, Aqua and Ventus where Sora and friends stood. A smile came to his face as he glanced to the sky. Just then, Sora and friends were greeted by Mickey, stepping out of the tower and approached the group.

"Congrats you three. And...let me just say that I'm proud to be fighting alongside the next generation of Keyblade wielders. So, let's do our best together. Okay?" Mickey asked. They all nodded.

"So, what did Yen Sid say should be our next move?" Riku asked.

"Yeah. Isn't that what you went to go and check on your majesty?" Sora asked. Mickey crossed his arms and looked between the three.

"For the time being, Master Yen Sid has asked that we operate independently." Mickey explained. Kairi and Sora gasped, glancing at one another. But Riku remained quiet.

"Wait. We were just talking about how we were going to fight together. D-Don't tell us we have to split up AGAIN." Kairi said. Mickey shook his head.

"It's not that you'll be apart. Think of it as we each have a different mission to carry out. But we're still working together as a team...connected by our hearts and Keyblades." Mickey said. Donald and Goofy joined them as Mickey looked to Kairi.

"All right. Here's how things will be for a while. Kairi? Yen Sid has asked that you check in on the other princesses of heart to make sure nothing happens to them or their worlds." Mickey explained. Kairi nodded.

"Riku? You and me are gonna do a bit more scouting on Xehanort's activity. I've asked Lea to accompany us." Mickey said. Riku nodded as Sora was the next.

"And Sora? You, Donald and Goofy have been given orders to do your specialty. And that's to scout the surrounding worlds and make sure they are kept safe. Just keep doing what you've been doing since the start." Mickey continued. Sora grinned as he looked to Donald and Goofy.

"Don't worry your majesty. The three of us will do just fine." Sora said. Mickey nodded.

"Excuse me...Mickey? If Sora has Donald and Goofy and...you'll be going with Lea and Riku...who does that leave for me to fight with?" Kairi asked. Mickey looked to Kairi and nodded.

"Ah. Yes. I almost forgot that. Well, Oswald has agreed to accompany you. And...we have someone new in our ranks as well. Someone who wishes to join the fight as well...of her OWN free will." Mickey explained. Just then, they notice a new Gummi Ship approaching the island edge. It was mostly pink and yellow.

"Huh? Hey...your majesty? Whose ship is THAT?" Sora asked. Donald and Goofy gasped.

"Q-Queen Minnie?!" they yelled. Sora, Riku and Kairi gasped, watching as the ship docked down and, from the opening doors, came Minnie Mouse. But instead of wearing her usual pink gown and crown, she was seen wearing a light pink ensemble similar to Mickey's and wore a red Mickey head shaped pendant around her neck.

"So w-wait a second. The queen is going to fight too?!" Sora asked. Minnie approached the others and giggled, waving to them. But what surprised them next was what appeared to be another Keyblade, this time in Queen Minnie's hand.

_**~ KH: AWAKENING ~**_

After missions were passed out between them, Mickey asked them to meet together again at Disney Castle to check in. And with that, Sora, Donald and Goofy headed out together in their trusty Gummi Ship.

"Wow. I still can't believe Queen Minnie is helping us." Sora said. Donald agreed.

"Well, the king told us about how she wanted to help as well since we've been fighting this fight for so long now. Plus, the king's taught her everything he knows. So she should be fine." Goofy explained. Sora chuckled.

"Even so, can you believe it guys? We have such a team now. There's the three of us, Kairi and Riku, the king and queen, Lea and now Oswald working together. There's no way Xehanort has a shot now." Sora said. His friends both agreed, knowing they could do it as long as they stayed together. As they talked, the Gummi Ship continued on its way through the space inbetween the worlds. They watched as many stars passed them by.

"All right. So...where should we start?" Sora asked. Just then, the sensors on board the Gummi Ship reacted to something nearby as Donald took a look.

"Hey! Look!" Donald squawked. They all viewed out the window to see a large world ahead of them. From the sights around it, Sora smiled.

"Hey! Its Radiant Garden! Leon and the others live there!" Sora laughed. Goofy chuckled.

"Gawrsh! Well, how about we go and see our old friends again?" Goofy asked. Sora smirked.

"No problem. I've wondered how they've been since we last saw them. Sora said. With all in unaminous decision, the ship made a straight course for Radiant Gardens. The ship passed through the atmosphere and landed them down around the center of the town.

_**~ Radiant Garden ~**_

_~ The Restored City of Light ~_

Sora, Donald and Goofy exited the ship and strolled out into the town.

"Wow. This place has grown since we were last here." Sora said. His friends nodded as they viewed a crowd of people gathering in the square. There were more shops and buildings, mostly appearing as housings and other such facilities. They walked through town and passed through into the Boroughs.

"Gee, with the world like this, I wonder what Leon's been up to." Goofy asked. Suddenly, they heard a voice cry out.

"Come BACK here you little thief!" a voice cried. Sora and friends rushed towards the sound of the voice, stopping to see Rikku being chased around by Yuffie. She had stolen what appeared to be an ice cream stick and was comically teasing Yuffie.

"I said get back here!" Yuffie exclaimed. Their fun chase eventually led them towards Sora, where Rikku abruptly bumped into him. She was then caught by Yuffie.

"Aha! You've finally met your..." Yuffie laughed before noticing Sora.

"Heya Yuffie!" Sora said. Yuffie and Rikku both gasped and chuckled.

"Sora! Hey there! What's up man?! Never would've expected you again." Yuffie said. Sora crossed his arms.

"Come on. You HAD to know we'd come back again someday. Or did you really think we were gone for good?" Sora teased. Rikku flew to Sora and gave a grin, greeting him with a high five.

"Its great to see you. What's been going on Sora? Care to clue us in?" Yuffie asked. Sora said he would after seeing Leon again. Yuffie smirked.

"Good to hear. He happens to be inside Merlin's place right now with the other restoration members. C'mon!" Yuffie said. They followed Yuffie to and inside Merlin's house. Once inside, they saw the other members gathered together, Cloud included.

"Hey guys! Look who I bumped into!" Yuffie cheered. They all turned and spotted Sora, each smiling at the sight.

"Oh wow. Welcome back Sora." Aerith said. Leon and Cid both grinned.

"Why am I not surprised?" Leon asked. Cloud looked on silently as Leon went to greet Sora.

"Hey Leon. How's Radiant Garden been?" Sora asked. Leon nodded.

"Its been progressing great. Since you helped us out last time, we've done more resoration work and we've been able to find new places within town. You should check them out when you get the chance." Leon explained. Yuffie nodded with glee.

"Yep. We even found one of our town's old treasures, the Fountain Court. We're working to restore it." Yuffie added. Sora, Donald and Goofy chuckled.

"Great to hear." Sora said. Leon then crossed his arms.

"So Sora, what's been going on with you? We got in touch with a friend of yours a while back, Lea, saying that you got a lot on your plate." Leon asked. Sora nodded, deciding to explain everything with Master Xehanort and the new Organization to them.

"So...wait a second. Wasn't "Xehanort" the name of one of Ansem's apprentices? What's he got to do with any of this?" Rikku asked. Cid shrugged.

"Heck, I'm just as confused as you are kid." Cid said. Leon decided to take Sora's story for what it was and promised they would do anything they could to help them.

"Yeah. That's right. You guys have helped us out a lot in the past, so let US help YOU this time." Yuffie said. Rikku, full of excitement, decided to go and pass word to Yuna and Paine who were elsewhere in the world.

"Hey Leon. How about I take Sora to see the fountain court? Its really not that far from here." Yuffie asked. Leon agreed.

"All right. But stay alert. Just because things have been peaceful for now doesn't mean the Heartless are still lurking about." Leon said. But Yuffie scoffed.

"Please Leon, how old do you think I am?" Yuffie asked. She then turned to Sora and friends, telling them to follow her.

_~ Meanwhile... ~_

In the meantime, we pass away from Sora and friends to rejoin Kairi as she lands in their first stop. She, Minnie and Oswald arrived outside the castle of Cinderella.

_**~ Castle of Dreams ~**_

_~ A World Of Dreams ~_

The three looked around the world with many intriguing looks in their eyes.

"Oh wow. This is the first time I've been outside of the castle. I never would imagine the worlds are so beautiful." Minnie said. Kairi nodded.

"Yeah. And, if Yen Sid is right, this should be Cinderella's home, one of the other princesses." Kairi said. Oswald looked around the area, having arrived in the gardens outside the castle.

"But...where is Cinderella?" Minnie asked. Just then, Oswald gasped and pointed.

"Look! There!" he exclaimed. The girls turned and gasped, seeing an unconscious Cinderella surrounded by a horde of Heartless, Air Battler and Soldier.

"There she is! C'mon! Hurry!" Kairi exclaimed. The three agreed before charging together towards the Heartless.

_****____****__****__****__TO BE CONTINUED..._


	7. Ch 7: Double World Crisis

_**Kingdom Hearts: Awakening**_

_**~ Chapter 7: Double World Crisis ~**_

Kairi and her team quickly charged into the fray, protecting the unconscious Cinderella from the Heartless. Her newfound skills with the Keyblade proved beneficial as Minnie mostly attacked using magic and Oswald targeted the flying ones. When they all were eradicated, Kairi hurried to Cinderella.

"C-Cinderella! You okay?" Kairi asked, shaking her body. Upon closer inspection, Cinderella was wearing her rag clothing again. She groaned and slowly sat back up, viewing Kairi.

"Oh. Y-You're Kairi, correct? Another princess?" Cinderella asked. Kairi nodded.

"Yeah. Its me. How have you been?" Kairi asked. Cinderella slowly stood on her feet, helped up by Kairi and Minnie.

"Its terrible Kairi. Something's wrong with the prince. I think he's in trouble." Cinderella explained. Oswald and Minnie looked on with worry.

"Huh? Is it the Heartless?" Oswald asked, glancing around. Cinderella shook her head, saying she didn't know.

"Why not explain what's happened lately?" Kairi asked.

"O-Okay. It started a few days ago. It started with him acting odd and funny. Next thing I know, he claims he doesn't remember me...like...like we never met before. Its almost as if he's suffering from amnesia or something." Cinderella said. Minnie gently put her hand against Cinderella's side.

"You think it could be Xehanort's work?" Oswald asked. Kairi shrugged, saying it was an option as well.

"Don't worry Cinderella. We'll take a look into this." Kairi explained. Cinderella nodded, thanking them for their help. The four then looked off towards the castle.

"Come on guys. Let's see exactly what's going on here." Kairi said. And with that said, they began walking towards the castle.

_**~ KH: AWAKENING ~**_

We rejoin Sora, Donald and Goofy back in Radiant Garden, following Yuffie through the streets of the restored town.

"Wow. The town really looks great. You guys did a lot of hard work." Sora said, viewing the sights surrounding them. Yuffie chuckled.

"It ought to. We worked our butts off every day. But its totally worth it to see our hometown growing again. Remember how vile it looked when it used to be "Hollow Bastion"?" Yuffie asked. Sora stopped in his tracks, remembering his times at Hollow Bastion and his first encounter with the possessed Riku and becoming a Heartless to save Kairi.

"Yeah. A lot sure happened then." Sora said. Donald and Goofy looked to Sora as Yuffie stopped and turned around.

"Huh? Hey Sora. What's up?" she asked.

"Hmm? Oh. Nothing. Just having some memories about what happened here the first time I came." Sora said. Yuffie looked on before sensing the sorrow in Sora's eyes.

"Hey. Come on now. Don't think about that. That's water under the bridge." Yuffie said. Donald and Goofy looked on with concern.

"Yuffie's right. You've gotta put that behind ya. Things are much different now." Goofy said. Sora nodded.

"Yeah. Okay." he said. Seeing Sora chipper made Yuffie smile again.

"Anyway, its just a little further. Wait until you guys see it." Yuffie said. She then continued leading Sora and his friends through the streets of the town until they finally arrived in the fountain court. The fountains had been rusted down and there was no water flowing through. But just the sight of it was enough to entice Sora and his friends.

"Wow. What a fountain." Sora said. Yuffie nodded.

"Yeah. Just wait until we get it fixed." Yuffie said. Just then, Sora noticed a pair of figures standing ahead of them, looking on at the fountain. One appeared to be a young woman with shoulder length hair and the other had longer, dark brown hair.

"Hey! Ashe! Rinoa! There you guys are!" Yuffie called. The two turned back, spotting Yuffie with smiles on their faces.

"Uhhh...Yuffie? Who are they?" Sora asked. Yuffie turned towards Sora with a grin.

"Meet the Radiant Garden committee's newest members! Ashe and Rinoa!" Yuffie announced. Rinoa crossed her arms as she looked at Sora.

"So this must be the famous "Sora" that everyone's been talking about." Rinoa said. Ashe chuckled.

"This young boy? I find it a little hard to believe." Ashe teased. Sora started to blush as he turned away from them.

"C-Come on. Surely you don't think its THAT unbelievable." Sora said, flustered by their talk. Yuffie and the others started to laugh.

"It's okay Sora. Don't worry about it. Ashe and Rinoa just haven't seen how AWESOME you are with the Keyblade yet." Yuffie said, trying to pep Sora's spirit. Just then, they all sensed a dark presence lurking nearby.

"Yes Sora. Why not prove yourself to these new "friends" of yours?" a voice asked. Sora and the rest quickly looked up towards the top of the fountains, seeing Maleficent standing there.

"Maleficent!" Donald squawked. Rinoa and Ashe looked on in surprise.

"Th-That's Maleficent?" Rinoa asked. Maleficent looked around at the sight before her.

"Ah...Hollow Bastion. How you and your friends have ruined my glorious home." Maleficent said. Sora quickly summoned out his Keyblade and stood with Donald and Goofy.

"Hate to break it to you...but this is THEIR home! Not yours Maleficent!" Sora called. Maleficent cackled.

"It may be theirs now. But soon, I WILL reclaim this world as my own and drown it once again with my personal touch of darkness! And just to show you that I am not someone you should treat lightly BOY, allow me to introduce you to a new "friend" of my own." Maleficent said. Sora and the others charged for Maleficent, stepping forth into the fountain as Maleficent raised her staff. She began glowing bright green as she channeled the darkness around her.

"Come out! Now is your time Julius!" Maleficent yelled. Sora and the others stopped when they saw a giant black portal open up in front of them. They all watched as something began coming out. It appeared to be a hulking beast with the face of Pete.

"P-Pete?!" Goofy and Donald gasped. Maleficent cackled.

"I no longer need that worthless clown as my lackey! Its time for you to meet his "replacement". Show them just what you can do Julius!" Maleficent exclaimed. Sora looked on in shock at the giant beast before him, recognizing him from his time in the Realm of Sleep.

"You again?!" Sora exclaimed. Julius forced himself into the area as the dark portal closed, giving a loud growl.

"Whoa! Who is THIS freak?!" Yuffie exclaimed. Julius growled and glared at everyone before giving a mighty roar. Though Sora, Donald and Goofy braced the blast caused by it, it forced Yuffie and the other girls beyond the area, soon enclosed by a large invisible barrier.

"Sora!" Yuffie exclaimed. Now alone with the beast, Sora and friends prepared to face off against Julius.

_**~ KH: AWAKENING ~**_

Returning to Kairi and her team, we find them walking around the inside of the castle with Cinderella behind them. As they entered the grand lobby of the castle, they were greeted by a pair of royal guards.

"Halt! Have you invitation to the prince's ball?" one asked. Kairi looked on confusingly.

"Uhhh...don't you guys know who this is? This is Cinderella. She's supposed to be in there dancing with the prince." Kairi asked. The guards looked to one another before turning back to the group. Suddenly, without a warning, the guards pushed Kairi back.

"Nice try. But unless you have an invite, you're not welcome here. Now begone!" the other yelled. Minnie gasped and caught Kairi as she stumbled back. Oswald, suddenly furiated by his friend being shoved, prepared to lunge at the guards. But Kairi stopped him and drew him back.

"O-Oswald! Cut it out! You don't wanna get us in any trouble!" Kairi groaned, fussing against Oswald. The rabbit glared at her and groaned.

"We're terribly sorry. Please excuse us." Cinderella said. With that, the group departed from the castle and went back outside in the gardens.

"Gah! Who do those guards think they are?! Don't they know a princess when they see one?!" Oswald exclaimed, finally free of Kairi's clutches. Kairi scratched her head, thinking they should have searched out the prince first.

"Good thinking Kairi. That might be our best bet for now." Minnie said. But Cinderella shook her head.

"Its not that simple. Like I said, the prince has forgotten all about me." Cinderella said. Just then, they heard a pair of voices nearby and looked over, seeing the prince with another girl in the far distance.

"Hey, isn't that the prince?" Kairi whispered. They took a better look at the other girl and gasped, seeing her to be a dead ringer for Cinderella in her gown dress.

"Wait! That woman looks just like YOU Cinderella." Minnie gasped. Cinderella nodded, saying she never noticed this before. They listened in closely as the prince and the fake Cinderella were laughing together. They then saw the prince parting ways before the Cinderella fake was approached by a elder woman with gray hair. Cinderella gasped.

"Wait a moment. That's...my stepmother. What is she...?" Cinderella asked. Lady Tremaine slowly reached into her sleeve and took out a slender white stick. With it, she waved it upon the fake Cinderella and transformed her into Anastasia. The group quietly gasped.

"Anastasia?" Cinderella muttered. Anastasia turned to Lady Tremaine, asking how she was doing.

"Very good. We have the prince exactly where we want him. And after you two are married, the palace's wealth and riches shall belong to us. And with the help of that foolish fairy's wand AND the Heartless, we shall HAVE what we so rightfully deserve. Just remember to keep that wretched Cinderella in the dark about all of this." Tremaine said. Anastasia nodded.

"But...mother? You think the prince will...I dunno...really fall for the REAL me?" she asked. Tremaine huffed.

"Preposterous. You know the way that boy's heart works. He only had eyes for Cinderella. That's why we used the magic of this wand to rewrite his memories so that he knows nothing of the REAL Cinderella." Tremaine said. Kairi gasped.

"So that's it." Kairi muttered. Anastasia sighed before agreeing with her mother that this would be their only chance to get what they truly wanted.

"Good girl. Now come. Its time we make a few "final adjustments" before the wedding." she said. The girls then began walking off as Tremaine glanced back, vaguely spotting Kairi and the others.

"And as for YOU...Cinderella..." she muttered. She waved her hand, causing a pack of Heartless to surround them.

"Wah! H-Heartless!" Oswald exclaimed. Kairi groaned.

"Dang it! She KNEW we were here the whole time!" Kairi shouted.

_**TO BE CONTINUED...**_


End file.
